Tighter rules to be notified soon: Govt after Tendulkar's deepfake video

After legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar flagged his deepfake video doing the rounds, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar slammed deepfakes as a threat to the safety and trust of Indian users, saying the government will soon notify tighter rules under the IT Act to ensure compliance by platforms.

In a post on X, Tendulkar mentioned the doctored video - where he is seen promoting a gaming application - and expressed concerns about the misuse of technology.

Taking to X, the Minister of State for IT and Electronics thanked Tendulkar for flagging the deepfake video and said "#DeepFakes and misinformation powered by #AI are a threat to Safety&Trust of Indian users and represents harm & legal violation that platforms have to prevent and takedown".

Chandrasekhar said that a recent advisory by the IT Ministry requires platforms to fully comply with this.

"We will be shortly notifying tighter rules under the IT Act to ensure compliance by platforms," the minister said.

The fake video shows Tendulkar talking about the merits of the application, saying he did not know that money-making has become so easy and that his daughter uses the platform.

Tendulkar posted the video along with a message in which he expressed concern about the misuse of technology.

"These videos are fake. It is disturbing to see rampant misuse of technology. Request everyone to report videos, ads & apps like these in large numbers," Tendulkar wrote in the post on X.

Tendulkar had exhorted social media platforms to be alert and responsive to complaints.

"Swift action from their end is crucial to stopping the spread of misinformation and deepfakes," he wrote.

Deepfakes refer to synthetic or doctored media that is digitally manipulated and altered to convincingly misrepresent or impersonate someone using a form of artificial intelligence or AI.

Last month, the government had directed all platforms to comply with the IT rules and mandated companies to inform users in clear and precise terms about prohibited content.

The government talked tough with social media platforms after several 'deepfake' videos targeting leading actors, including Rashmika Mandanna, sparked public outrage and raised concerns over the weaponisation of technology for creating doctored content and harmful narratives.

The Centre has asked platforms to act decisively on deepfakes and align their terms of use and community guidelines as per the IT Rules and current laws. The government has made it clear that any compliance failure would be dealt with strictly and evoke legal consequences.